EDAIC OLA (On-Line Assessment): Your Complete Guide
Learn what the EDAIC OLA assesses, how HOLA differs, and how to use feedback for Part 1 preparation. OLA does not confer a Part 1 exemption.
The EDAIC OLA — On-Line Assessment helps candidates assess knowledge and prepare for Part 1. It does not replace the written examination or confer a Part 1 exemption. This guide explains its educational role, registration considerations and how to use the feedback.
What is the EDAIC OLA?
The EDAIC OLA (On-Line Assessment) is a formative, in-training assessment administered by ESAIC (the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care). It uses the same question format and content blueprint as the EDAIC Part 1 written examination: multiple true-false (MTF) questions covering basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physics and clinical measurement, equipment, statistics) and clinical anaesthesia and intensive care.
OLA and its home version, HOLA, support assessment and preparation. Delivery and registration arrangements depend on the current ESAIC rules and your country; access is not restricted universally to trainees in a programme with a special exemption agreement. See ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.
Key point: OLA is not a diploma and does not establish Part 2 eligibility. A score cannot substitute for the Part 1 requirement or a separately confirmed qualification-based exemption.
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How does the EDAIC online assessment relate to Part 1?
The EDAIC Part 1 written examination consists of two papers:
- Paper A: Basic Sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physics and clinical measurement, equipment, statistics).
- Paper B: Clinical Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (including regional anaesthesia, special and sub-specialty anaesthesia, intensive care, emergency medicine, and pain).
The OLA mirrors this structure. It uses MTF questions — a clinical or scientific stem followed by five statements (A–E), each independently marked as True or False. There is no negative marking: a correct answer scores, an incorrect or blank answer scores zero, so you should attempt every statement.
Similar content does not mean an equivalent examination result. ESAIC does not set an OLA/HOLA pass mark; earlier Part 1 pass marks are supplied for comparison. Any locally required OLA pass standard is set by the relevant national authority. None of these results creates an EDAIC Part 1 exemption. See ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.
Who can use OLA or HOLA?
ESAIC publishes both individual and group registration arrangements. Availability of centre-based OLA depends on country and centre rules; other candidates may need to select HOLA. Check the current official assessment page and applicable regulations rather than assume that every hospital offers a sitting or that a particular training year is mandatory.
Assessment arrangements are not exemption rules
Before booking, confirm the assessment version, registration deadline, fee or institutional funding, technical requirements, and how you will receive feedback. If a national authority requires an assessment, check its rules separately.
For the diploma, the ESAIC Diploma Guide lists reciprocal Part 1 exemptions associated with FRCA, FCAI, FCARCSI and TSA. Confirm the precise conditions with ESAIC and the relevant society. OLA/HOLA results are not on that list and do not save the Part 1 examination fee by creating an exemption.
Exam tip: Use OLA/HOLA to identify gaps while there is still time to address them. Do not cancel or omit formal Part 1 registration because of an assessment score.
Answer an EDAIC-style question
This is one exam-format Part 1 multiple-true-false question from our bank. Mark each statement true or false, then see the worked answer.
Regarding the pathophysiology of oxygen delivery and consumption in circulatory shock:
Mark each statement true or false:
In healthy adults at rest, systemic oxygen delivery is approximately 1000 mL/min while oxygen consumption is about 250 mL/min, creating a physiological oxygen reserve.
When systemic oxygen delivery decreases, oxygen consumption immediately falls in direct proportion, indicating supply dependency at all levels of DO₂.
Cardiac output is determined by the product of heart rate and stroke volume, with stroke volume being influenced by preload, afterload, and myocardial contractility.
The unifying feature of all forms of shock, regardless of aetiology, is acute circulatory failure associated with inadequate cellular oxygen utilisation.
In septic shock, early goal-directed therapy targeting supranormal oxygen delivery values has been shown to consistently reduce mortality across all patient populations.
How to prepare for the OLA
Preparation can overlap with Part 1 because the content and MTF format are similar. Do not assume an identical pass standard: OLA/HOLA feedback and the Part 1 examination result have different purposes.
Master the MTF question style
Multiple true-false questions reward precision. Each of the five statements is independent: one may be true, all five may be true, or none may be true. Read the stem carefully, then evaluate each statement on its own merits. Because there is no negative marking, if you are uncertain, make your best-informed guess rather than leaving it blank.
Cover the full syllabus systematically
The OLA spans basic sciences and clinical topics. Do not neglect anatomy, physiology, or physics in favour of clinical cases — Paper A questions are just as important. Use a structured revision plan that allocates time to each domain:
- Anatomy: airway, neuroanatomy, thorax, abdomen, relevant surface landmarks.
- Physiology: cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, neurophysiology, acid-base balance.
- Pharmacology: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug classes (induction agents, opioids, muscle relaxants, local anaesthetics, cardiovascular drugs).
- Physics and clinical measurement: gas laws, vaporisers, monitoring (pulse oximetry, capnography, invasive pressure measurement), electrical safety.
- Clinical anaesthesia: general, regional, obstetric, paediatric, cardiac, thoracic, neuro, trauma, and day-case anaesthesia.
- Intensive care and emergency medicine: sepsis, ARDS, renal replacement therapy, airway emergencies, resuscitation.
Use high-quality question banks
Practice with MTF questions that reflect the EDAIC style. AnesCORE offers hundreds of EDAIC Part 1-style questions across all domains, each with detailed explanations and references. Working through questions under timed conditions builds familiarity with the format and highlights gaps in your knowledge.
Revise actively, not passively
Reading textbooks cover-to-cover is rarely efficient. Instead, use questions to identify weak areas, then target your reading. Make concise notes, draw diagrams (especially for anatomy and physiology), and test yourself regularly. Spaced repetition — revisiting topics at increasing intervals — strengthens long-term retention.
Form a study group
If several trainees in your programme are sitting the OLA together, meet regularly to discuss difficult topics, share mnemonics, and quiz each other. Teaching a concept to a colleague is one of the most effective ways to consolidate your own understanding.
What happens after the assessment?
Use the performance report to compare your stronger and weaker subject areas, then adjust your revision plan. A result does not record a Part 1 exemption or automatically make you eligible for Part 2.
If you intend to obtain the diploma, plan the formal examination stages separately. Part 2 has its own eligibility and registration requirements, described in the ESAIC Diploma Guide.
Using OLA alongside Part 1 preparation
OLA/HOLA and Part 1 are not alternative routes to the same pass. Decide whether an additional assessment would give useful feedback within your time and budget, while keeping the diploma examination requirements in view.
Check current assessment fees, availability and any local training requirement. Do not assume OLA involves no travel, is free, or replaces a Part 1 fee. Those earlier claims confused preparation with qualification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EDAIC OLA stand for?
OLA stands for On-Line Assessment, an ESAIC assessment using Part 1-style questions. It supports preparation and benchmarking but does not pass or exempt you from EDAIC Part 1.
Can I take the OLA if my training programme does not offer it?
Check the current individual registration rules: participation is not universally limited to a programme-run group. Your country may determine whether centre-based OLA or HOLA is available. Do not register individually if your training director has already registered you as part of a group. See ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.
Is the OLA easier than the Part 1 exam?
Similar content and format do not establish identical difficulty or an identical pass standard. OLA/HOLA provides assessment feedback, while Part 1 is a formal diploma examination with its own pass standard. Treat preparation seriously without equating the results.
Does an OLA result establish Part 2 eligibility?
No. There is no OLA exemption-validity period to rely on. Check the formal Part 1 and training or specialist-qualification requirements for Part 2 in the ESAIC Diploma Guide and confirm unusual circumstances directly with ESAIC.
Use OLA/HOLA feedback to guide preparation across basic sciences and clinical topics. Practise MTF questions, review errors and revisit weak areas. Keep this educational use separate from formal Part 1 and Part 2 registration requirements.
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Correction — 7 October 2026: OLA/HOLA assessment does not grant a Part 1 exemption. Checked against the ESAIC Diploma Guide and ESAIC OLA/HOLA guidance.
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